The army has now moved into areas known as Maoist-affected. At first villagers would run away from them, but they now view the army as their friend. The soldiers roam the villages, unconcerned and unarmed. Sometimes, they runs into Maoists but both go their different ways.

The army says their mission is not to fight Maoists but to build a road. The army has been building the Salyan-Musikot road for the last 14 months and the Maoists have not hindered their work.

The army is using incentives to win the hearts of local people. Rather than brandish weapons, it has provided medicines, water pipes, and roofs for schools. That is why the people trust them more than the police.

The army says it is because of police action that villagers sympathise with the Maoists. Villages with army camps are less affected by police brutality. "We were three kilometres away when the Khara incident happened. The police would probably not have dared to carry out the attack if we had been nearer," says Lieutenant Colonel Jag Bahadur Gurung, the commanding officer.